Friday, May 11, 2018

Libyan defence ministry told to pay for VIP jets grounded in Malta

A
Maltese court has ordered a company owned by Libya's defence ministry to cough
up €650,000 for two jets currently grounded in Malta.

The legal action was filed against
Libya's EACS (Executive Authority for Air Cargo and Special Flights), which
falls under the authority of the Libyan defence ministry, by Asemar Aviation
and Cargo Services Limited, which are based in Malta but headed by Libyan
national A. Abuzikri.

EACS is run by Shaker Own, who was
appointed as its head by the Tobruk administration. Asemar said €650,000 in
services to EACS between 2013 and 2015 were never paid. Among the bills was a
€140,000 VIP flight between Mitiga and Paris in May 2014.

Asemar applied for the seizure, as
security, of one of EACS's two Bombardier jets laid up in Malta. Since July
2017, the two aircraft have also been at the heart of a legal battle between
EACS and United Aviation Company (UAC), which is headed by Ali Elshanti. UAC
claims it is the legitimate owner of the two aircraft. (Source: maltatoday.com, 10-May-2018)